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Dialdirect’s easy load shedding recipes

Thursday, October 08, 2015

Load shedding puts a lot of strain on our busy lives. Many of us have experienced leaving our places of work when there is load shedding, only to be stuck in hours of traffic because the robots are out and as you switch on the lights when you get home, they go out because it seems as though the rolling blackouts are following you.

When this happens, how are you supposed to maintain a normal lifestyle? You may fall further and further behind on your work, your appliances might blow from surges when the power comes back on, and you have to resort to ordering takeaways regularly to feed your family. Dialdirect is here to help ease the load shedding burden. We might not be able to complete your work for you, but we can provide you with comprehensive home contents insurance, and we can give you some recipes for when the lights are out and the kids are hungry. All you need are some coals, a gas burner, or a Weber.

Easy mac and cheese

Ingredients

4 cups macaroni

6 tbsp butter

1 cup milk

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

2 cups Gouda cheese, grated

1 cup breadcrumbs

4 tbsp flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Place a cast-iron pot or baking pan over hot coals or gas flame and bring water to the boil.

2. Cook the pasta as per the instructions on the packaging.

3. In the smaller pot, melt the butter and then whisk the milk into the liquid butter.

4. Whisk in the flour a tablespoon at a time until the consistency thickens up.

5. Depending on the heat of the pan, it can sometimes take a while to get to a good texture; don’t stress about this.

6. Grate the cheese – this is where the kids can help. Stir in a blend of the cheeses until melted through, adding salt and pepper to taste.

7. Add the sauce to the macaroni pot and mix. Cover and allow to cook for around five minutes on medium heat. Top off with extra cheese and breadcrumbs and cook for a further five minutes.

8. Serve warm and enjoy.

Easy Build pizza

Ingredients

1 ball pizza dough, store-bought or homemade

1/2 to 1 cup tomato sauce, store-bought or homemade

Cheese such as torn mozzarella, grated cheddar, Gouda and Parmesan

Toppings of your choice such as herbs, vegetables, ham, pepperoni and salami, chopped and diced

Olive oil

Method

1. Heat the grill: Aim for at least 300°C.

2. Make sure the pizza is set up over direct heat.

3. Prep your dough: It should be stretched or rolled out into a thin circle.

4. Brush the dough with olive oil: This is the side you’ll lay down on the grill.

5. Grill one side of the pizza: Brush the top of the dough with a thin layer of olive oil, too. Let the dough cook for about three minutes, with the lid off, or one to two minutes with the lid on.

6. Lift the dough: From time to time check on how it is doing. You want grill marks on it, but you don’t want it to get crispy.

7. Flip the dough over: It should come up easily and flip without tearing.

8. Top the pizza quickly: Spread on a thin layer of sauce, some cheese, and toppings. It shouldn’t be too heavily loaded, or the pizza won’t cook well.

9. Cook the pizza: Cover with a dome lid or loose foil and cook for three to five minutes. If the pizza smells like it’s scorching, take the lid off and move it to a cooler part of the grill or turn the heat down.

10. Remove the finished pizza: Remove the lid or foil and check the pizza. The edges should be crisp and well-done, and the cheese should all be melted. Drag the pizza off the fire and let it cool for three minutes, then cut into pieces and let the family dig in.

These easy-to-make load shedding recipes will help make things feel a little more normal during load shedding for you and your family. And remember, if your food spoils because the power’s out, or a power surge damages your appliances, we’ll cover it under our Home Contents Insurance.